PPL And ADD Tackle Underrepresentation In Music

UK music licensing company PPL and independent empowerment body Action for Diversity & Development (ADD) have announced a partnership designed to help tackle underrepresentation at senior levels in the music industry and support those with "protected characteristics" (particularly race, gender, disability and religion), who are not progressing within organisations.

PPL will provide funding to ADD to help with start-up and outreach costs, while ADD will support PPL in ensuring there are no barriers to opportunity for staff from underrepresented groups.

ADD was established in 2020 as an evolution of the Alliance for Diversity in Music & Media (ADMM), which had been operating since 2009. ADMM brought together music industry executives to address the lack of diverse senior teams across the business and created the ‘Diversity Charter’ which was adopted by UK Music and signed by its members in 2012.

ADD is continuing this work by expanding its remit to embrace the burgeoning creative industry which naturally encompasses music. The ADD board, affectionately known as the ‘elders’, are using their experience, expertise and networks across management, publishing, legal/business affairs, production, touring, broadcast, PR, fashion, branding and psychotherapy to provide a variety of positive, supportive solutions that will clear the path towards a richer, more inclusive and integrated cultural landscape at all levels.

As part of this partnership, ADD will provide PPL and others with tailored mentoring with experienced mentors from diverse communities within the music and creative industries, ‘Lived Experience’ seminars and Q&As for employees and similar, tailored sessions to executive and senior staff to reinforce the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion, assistance with recruiting for senior management roles and career development workshops.

“ADD brings together a team of experienced industry leaders, renowned in their own areas of expertise and also respected for the years of work they have put into making the music industry a fairer place for all,” said Kate Reilly, chief people officer at PPL.

“PPL recognises that there is more that needs to be done. We hope that, by providing financial support to the organisation, ADD can support as many skilled professionals from underrepresented backgrounds as possible and lay the groundwork for more diverse leadership teams in the near future both within PPL and the wider UK music industry.”

“On behalf of the ADD team I would like to thank chief executive officer Peter Leathem, Kate Reilly, and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion partner Tomi Oyewumi from PPL, for not only supporting our drive to bring parity to black and brown people in the creative industry but for their support in taking this major first step with us on our journey to effect real change,” added Danny Poku (Danny D), ADD director and co-founder of Stellar Songs.

“We know there is a long way to go and how critical it is to ensure that equity stays front of mind when the media noise relents, but this is an important start.”

PPL’s support of ADD is a part of its response to the Black Music Coalition’s five calls to action and the ten-point plan to improve inclusion and diversity set out by UK Music’s diversity task force, of which PPL is a founding member.

It is also the latest in a number of organisations the company supports and works with to drive positive change including:

• Small Green Shoots, a youth-led charity which helps young people facing difficult life circumstances gain access to careers in the entertainment and creative industries

• The Cat’s Mother, a mentoring network that helps young women build networks and knowledge as the foundation to a successful career in music

• Leonard Cheshire, a charity which supports disabled people to live, learn and work as independently as they choose

• MOBO’S MOBOLISE platform, which connects black talent with the best career opportunities, within forward-thinking organisations